Long Distance Cycling Mistakes to Avoid – Part II

Many times, people start cycling, cycling longer and ultimately jump into long distance cycling events. Most of the times, they make mistakes and only realize later when its too late. At times, it even leaves them wondering what went wrong or how can they get faster, better and happier.

We have listed a few endurance mistakes we as cyclists commit during long distance cycling and are immediately put off. By keeping the below pointers in mind, you can conquer new- challenges and develop the ultra-cyclists within you.

However, this requires patience, commitment, and the will to get off the bike and rest.

It’s a Sin to burn out:

The best way to get sick of something is to do it too much, too hard and too often. As we all know, long-distance cycling does require time and commitment, but they definitely do not require one to take an ascetic life. A piece of advice, don’t hurry and take your time. It is not necessary to complete a full brevet series in your first, second or even the third year of cycling.

Doing a few century rides, shorter brevets, group rides and exploring what the sport has to offer will serve you well. Think of an onion and build layer upon layer of quality training, rest, information and experience that are an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. With that approach, you’ll be rolling across finish lines for many decades to come!

Progress, Intelligently Planned:

To become the best endurance cyclist, create a simple, logical and smart part for progression through every season that will help you achieve a lot in your career.

Thus, centuries lead to double centuries and even triple and quadruple centuries, brevets grow from 200km to 1200km, plus there are 12- and 24-hour events, 500-mile races, and beyond. In cycling, training at near race-distance is hardly necessary and often counter-productive. Use the doubling rule of thumb cautiously, over time, and you’ll find your ever further horizons still within your reach.

It’s impossible to maintain maximum fitness year-round, year after year. As a result, top endurance athletes build their seasons around one or two key events and vary their training in cycling or months to reach their peak fitness. Athletes who follow such an approach are benefited as every cycling brings new challenges, and rewards, to you.

Calm Down:

Time and again, cyclists take things too seriously such as downloading every workout into their computer for scrutiny, stepping on the scale every day, keeping mammoth training logs, and never missing a workout under any circumstances.

This, in fact, kills the adventure, challenge and there is no adaptability. The taste for the unknown all washed away like your sweat. Doing the same rides on the same days of the week, week after week, year-round gets BORING. We believe the life of a cyclist should be fun and should open up the world in a literally awe-inspiring way.

So use the bicycle as a tool to self-discovery and explore the inner and outer universes. Bring variety to your training and it will bring you a wide panorama of experiences AND greater fitness. Also, ensure to take your rest days seriously, that include your weekly planned and spontaneous in case if you have dead legs.

Mix it Up:

A better cyclist does not require you to stay on the bike. So get off the bike and do some Yoga, or Pilates, or go lift weights, hit the pool and become better, fitter and happier cyclists. Create and follow a training regimen that will make you better at long distance cycling. Getting off the bike is a prerequisite for that, we guarantee it!

Just as growing into adulthood takes years, maturing as an endurance cyclist also takes time. You’ll have more fun, and become better at long distance cycling if you don’t try to rush it!

Abhishek Tarfe is a Certified Bike Mechanic from Park Tool School. He enjoys teaching people how to cycle and loves going on multi-day tours. Besides, he loves dogs and coffee.
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